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Create your free account →District Judge · 81st District Court · Atascosa County, Texas
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Report generated September 8, 2026 · benchpath.ai/reports/judge/tx-jennifer-margaret-dillingham
District Judge — 81st District Court, Frio County
District Judge — 81st District Court, Karnes County
District Judge — 81st District Court, La Salle County
District Judge — 81st District Court, Wilson County
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Appeals from this courtroom go to the Fourth Court of Appeals.
● LiveCounty-to-district assignment per Tex. Gov't Code sec. 22.201(e), live-fetched registry.
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Unlock free →Rules of the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region of Texas, Rules 1–13, adopted by the Council of Presiding Judges meeting in Austin on March 8, 1993 (Supreme Court Misc. Docket No. 93-0247 per the TOPICs registration) — 365th District Court print posted by Maverick County (co.maverick.tx.us; file-stamped by the Maverick District Clerk September 29, 2021), with TOPICs registration doc 321 as the dual receipt.
The thirteen region-wide rules of the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region (the 22-county South Texas region), adopted by the Council of Presiding Judges at Austin on March 8, 1993: time standards for disposition (criminal trial within 180 days of indictment, civil jury 18 months and non-jury 12 months from appearance, contested family cases 6 months and uncontested 3 months, juvenile detention hearings the next business day with adjudication within 10 or 30 days and disposition within 15), complex-case allowance, continuances only as the rules permit and one agreed pass; monthly OCA reports to the regional presiding judge; county boards of judges must adopt uniform local rules for civil, family/juvenile and criminal cases, a jury plan, a judicial-absence plan and a rule for regular judges' meetings; local rules must follow the region's numbering and take effect only on approval by the presiding judge and the Supreme Court; conflicting-engagement priorities (criminal, statutory preference, preferential settings, earliest setting, earliest filing, multi-judge counties yield to rural counties); four weeks' attorney vacation on 90 days' written notice; pretrial motions three days before docket call and certified requests for settings; and courtroom decorum.
Fifth (5th) Court of Appeals, 5th Court of Appeals Local Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 124)
5th Court of Appeals Local Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 99(b)–(c)
The citation directs the defendant to answer by 10:00 a.m. on the Monday next after the expiration of twenty days after the date of service — the distinctive Texas answer date every deadline calculation starts from.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 4
How Texas procedural deadlines are computed: exclude the trigger day, include the last day unless it falls on a weekend or legal holiday, skip weekends and holidays entirely in periods of five days or less, and count them for the three-day mail-service extensions under Rules 21 and 21a.
Eighth (8th) Court of Appeals, Eighth Court of Appeals Anders Requirements (TOPICs reg. doc. 747)
Eighth Court of Appeals Anders Requirements, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Eighth (8th) Court of Appeals, Eighth Court of Appeals Local Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 740)
Eighth Court of Appeals Local Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Eighth (8th) Court of Appeals, Eighth Court of Appeals Oral Argument Requests (TOPICs reg. doc. 746)
Eighth Court of Appeals Oral Argument Requests, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a(a)
A document filed electronically must be served electronically through the electronic filing manager whenever the recipient's email address is on file with it; otherwise service may be made in person, by mail, by commercial delivery, by fax, by email, or as directed by the court.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 510.8, 510.11, 510.15, 510.19
In justice-court eviction cases: the citation sets a personal-appearance trial day not less than 10 nor more than 21 days after the petition is filed; a written answer is permitted but NOT required (appearing on the trial day is what matters); no trial may be held until 4 days after service; and an appeal must be perfected within 5 days after the judgment is signed.
First (1st) Court of Appeals, 1st COA Local Rule (TOPICs reg. doc. 767)
First (1st) Court of Appeals — 1st COA Local Rule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
First (1st) Court of Appeals, 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Appeals (TOPICs reg. doc. 768)
First (1st) Court of Appeals — 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Appeals, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
First (1st) Court of Appeals, 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Original Proceedings (TOPICs reg. doc. 769)
First (1st) Court of Appeals — 1st COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment in Original Proceedings, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
First (1st) Court of Appeals, 3. Form of Motions for En Banc Reconsideration (TOPICs reg. doc. 2910)
First (1st) Court of Appeals — 3. Form of Motions for En Banc Reconsideration, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 04/01/2026). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 245
Contested cases may be set for trial on any party's written request or the court's own motion with reasonable notice of not less than forty-five days for a FIRST setting; resets need only reasonable notice. A request for a setting is a good-faith representation of expected readiness.
Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals, 14th COA Local Rule (TOPICs reg. doc. 751)
Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals — 14th COA Local Rule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals, 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Appeals (TOPICs reg. doc. 752)
Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals — 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Appeals, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals, 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Original Proceedings (TOPICs reg. doc. 753)
Fourteenth (14th) Court of Appeals — 14th COA Local Rule Notice of Assignment of Related Case in Original Proceedings, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/02/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals, 4th COA Local Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 2749)
Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals — 4th COA Local Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/07/2026). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals, Fee Schedule (TOPICs reg. doc. 1108)
Fourth (4th) Court of Appeals — Fee Schedule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/27/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 216
A written jury request must be filed a reasonable time before the non-jury trial setting and not less than thirty days in advance, with the jury fee deposited within the same window.
Tex. R. Jud. Admin. 10
Local rules, forms, and standing orders must be published on the Office of Court Administration's website (TOPICs) — with regional presiding judges and the Supreme Court empowered to order amendment or withdrawal — and no court may require a party to use a local form or reject a properly completed Supreme Court–approved form.
Local Rules of Administration for the Texas Business Court (eff. July 1, 2026)
The Business Court's administrative rules (eff. July 1, 2026, adopted by all ten judges under Gov't Code §§ 25A.005, 25A.020(b) and TRJA 7 and 10): a three-month ruling standard for matters under advisement; reassignment and consolidation mechanics (severed cases stay with the severing judge; substantially related cases may be consolidated before the first-filed judge by the administrative presiding judge or by consent; relief premised on a prior Business Court judgment returns to its rendering judge; APJ docket-equalization reassignments); quarterly docket-equalization orders assigning a confidential, randomly sequenced number of next-filed cases (TRO cases excluded) to judges of other divisions who sit as judges of the originating division; the court calendar (state/national holidays, county closures per division, no settings during the Texas Center for the Judiciary annual conference week); visiting judges (§ 25A.014, TRJA 8) including APJ-requested coverage for absences beyond ten consecutive court business days; the emergency-matter referral chain (same-division judge first, then an APJ-designated judge); budget submissions through the APJ; the administrative-presiding-judge structure (majority election at the annual meeting by September 15 of even-numbered years for two-year terms, a pro tempore, § 25A.017(b) duties, delegation and committees, annual meeting the first Tuesday after Labor Day with monthly meetings); and rule-adoption mechanics (majority vote or 30-day no-objection circulation for these administrative rules; judge- and division-level local rules and guidelines under § 25A.020(b) and TRJA 7.2(f)(5) with division-uniform options; TRJA 10(a) publication on the OCA and clerk websites; a TRJA 7.1 confidentiality policy binding all court staff).
Second (2nd) Court of Appeals, Local Rules of the 2nd Court of Appeals (including amendments received through June 21, 2025) (TOPICs reg. doc. 2512)
Local Rules of the 2nd Court of Appeals (including amendments received through June 21, 2025), as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 08/15/2025). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Local Rules of the Texas Business Court (eff. July 1, 2026) (TOPICs reg. doc 3023)
The court-wide local rules adopted by all ten Business Court judges (eff. July 1, 2026), supplementing the TRCP in the statewide Business Court: bench exchange and administrative-presiding-judge docket re-assignment (trials stay in the division absent agreement; the assigned judge's forms and division practices govern); deemed consent to supplemental jurisdiction absent a severance motion or objection within 30 days; consolidation motions in the first-filed case; the mandatory Case Information Sheet and counsel-of-record mechanics with eFileTexas e-service subscription; scheduling orders proposed jointly within 30 days of first appearance or removal/transfer, accompanied by corporate-disclosure statements (14 days for later-joined parties; governmental entities exempt); the discovery-dispute prerequisite (good-faith resolution attempt, then a summary letter capped at 700 words with a 300-word conference certificate, a 7-day 700-word response, no replies without leave, and court-directed next steps) with cost-shifting statements; motion word limits (discovery 3,000 / replies 1,250; all others 7,500 / replies 3,000, with compliance certificates), 10-day responses and 7-day replies, pinpoint citations, unopposed labeling, conference certificates for all but dispositive motions, 10-day written-opinion requests, and summary-judgment written submission on the last business day before the 60th day after filing; mediation referral and immediate settlement notice; emergency-relief mechanics (clerk notification, proposed order, and a 2-hour pre-hearing certificate of grounds or notice); removal practice (TRCP deadlines unchanged, certified copies, re-filing of pending motions, filing in the operating division containing the removal county); sealing practice (redaction-first, in-camera delivery by secure link or Case Center, TRCP 76a, sensitive-data indicator does not seal); and miscellaneous rules — pro hac vice continuity after removal, vacation letters up to four weeks, the ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE accountability clause (use not prohibited; the filing attorney or party is independently responsible for accuracy and must comply with TRCP 13 and CPRC chs. 9–10), deemed consent to remote proceedings absent a 3-business-day objection, and amicus-brief leave with required disclosures.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 21(f)
Attorneys must electronically file documents in courts where e-filing has been mandated (statewide for civil cases in district, county, and appellate courts); unrepresented parties may e-file but are not required to. Filing runs through the certified electronic filing manager (eFileTexas).
Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals, Fee Schedule (TOPICs reg. doc. 643)
Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals — Fee Schedule, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals, Statewide E-Filing Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 641)
Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals — Statewide E-Filing Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Tex. R. App. P. 26.1
A civil notice of appeal is due 30 days after the judgment is signed — extended to 90 days by a timely motion for new trial, motion to modify, motion to reinstate, or proper findings request; accelerated appeals allow only 20 days; restricted appeals six months; and any other party may appeal within 14 days after the first notice.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 194.1–194.2(a)
In suits not governed by the Family Code, every party must serve initial disclosures — without awaiting a discovery request — within 30 days after the first answer or general appearance (later-joined parties: within 30 days of being served or joined), unless the parties agree or the court orders otherwise.
Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a(d), (e), (g)
Under the restructured Rule 166a, the deadlines anchor to the MOTION'S FILING, not a noticed hearing: the response is due within 21 days after the motion is filed, any reply within 7 days after the response, the hearing or submission may not be set within 35 days of filing and must be set within 60 days (or 90 for docket need, good cause, or movant agreement), and each side must submit a proposed order before the hearing or submission date.
Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals, Standing Order No. 1 (TOPICs reg. doc. 104)
Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals — Standing Order No. 1, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals, Standing Order No. 2 (TOPICs reg. doc. 105)
Tenth (10th) Court of Appeals — Standing Order No. 2, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.
Third (3rd) Court of Appeals, Local Rules (TOPICs reg. doc. 190)
Third (3rd) Court of Appeals — Local Rules, as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 01/01/2023). The operative requirements are quoted verbatim; the registered document is the controlling text.